Sixty-seven grocery stores across Ontario are now allowed to sell both domestic and imported wine.
In the Windsor region, the Loblaw's in Leamington and the Zehrs in Kingsville are among the grocers where consumers can buy wine. Fifty-seven grocery stores are already selling beer and cider.
The grocers who’ve been given wine licences are a mix of independent stores and large chains. The Liberal government says beer and cider will eventually be available in up to 450 grocery stores, and 300 of those will also be selling wine.
Finance Minister Charles Sousa says Ontario is committed to social responsibility. The stores must have designated sales areas and standard hours of sale, abide by limitations on package size and alcohol content, and follow staffing and social responsibility training requirements.
Sousa says bringing wine to grocery stores is beneficial for local wineries, as a minimum of shelf space must be set aside for small producers. He describes it a “win-win-win situation” for wine lovers, Ontario's wine producers and for the farmers who grow the grapes.
